Arrest cable support



Jan. 26, 1965 R. B. coTToN ARREST CABLE SUPPORT Filed June l2, 1965 "mmm-mm INVENTOR Robert B. Cotton 2 ww m.. Y.. LWMMWN ATTORNEYS l' port means.

United States Patent Oiice 3,157,277 Patented Jan. 26, 1965 3,167,277 ARREST CABLE SUPPORT Robert B. Cotton, Media, Pa., assigner to All American Engineering Company, Wilmington, Del., a corporation n of Delaware Filed June 12, 1963, Ser. No. 287,417 13 Claims. (Cl. 244-110) The present invention relates to aircraft arresting equipment and more particularly to aircraft arrest cable sup- Such cables are kknown as runway cross cables, deck pendants and the like.

In the majority of aircraftarresting installations used on landing strips and runways, it is the usual thing for landing aircraft to be equipped with a cable engaging arrest hook adapted to hook or engage an arrest cable. The arrest cable is connected at each end to some form of aircraft energy absorbing and decelerating equipment. This energy absorber and decelerating equipment is usually mounted on one or both sides of a landing area and it cannot be harnessed to provide operative aircraft arresting action unless the arrest cable is positively engaged by the arrest cable hook of the aircraft. Often the arrest cable is not properly supported in a hook engaging position and the hook may bounce over the cable because it is not properly elevated and/or positioned over the ylanding area and the aircraft may overrun the landing area with very unsatisfactory results.

The prior art has made some atttempts at arrest cable support and this cable support is an improvement, for example, over prior (zo-pending application Serial Number 210,931 invented by Howard Sanders Green and which application is assigned entire right, title and interest t to All American Engineering Company, Wilmington,

Delaware, U.S.A.

In this prior co-pending application of the present assignee, which has been operationallyV successful, the arrest cable may be raised from a flush arrest surface position to an elevated aircraft hook engaging position, by an inatable tube. This tube when inflated becomes ex posed and extends completely across the arrest surface and is formed in one elongated section, so that when the hook on an aircraft being arrested is to engagethe arrest cable it strikes the tube, ruptures the same and carries n the whole tube with the cable down the runway or landa'novel cable support, whereby the above difficult probporting structures by the crash contact of the hook.

, Another object is to provide a cable support which is flush with the runway surface when not in use and which is completely retractable to allow a snow plow or debris rcleaner to clean olf the runwaydwithout damaging the cable support.

Another object is to provide a concealed 'low pressure pneumatictube inflatable and deatable from a remote location such as from a control tower and whereby the low pressure cable support tube, greatly reduces cable bounce up from the cable support during an arrest `or high speed taxi operation, which may cause damage to the airplane.

Another object is to provide a novel support, whereby a standard type arresting hook which has a sharp edge close to the runway when extended from the craft is used to obtain optimum results.

Still another object is to provide a novel arresting cable support, whereby the cable may be replaced in arrest position within two minutes or less after each arrest.

Another object is to provide a novel arresting cable support which is inexpensive and easy to install even on concrete runways without appreciable cut away of runway surface for installations.

Yet another object is to provide a novel arresting cable structure which requires a minimum of damage and expense following each arrestment to prepare the same for the next arrest operation.

Another object is to provide a novel continuous supporting structure for an arrest cable, whereby less tension on the cable than heretofore is required and whereby there is no problem of looping or sagging of the cable.

Other objects and advantages will become apparent in the course of the following detailed description, taken in connection with the accompanying drawings, wherein:

FIGURE 1 is a top plan view of a landing surface showing the novel arresting cable support in an isometric drawing partly cut away in cross section;

FIGURE 2 is a cross section view taken on the section line 2 2 of FIGURE 1; t

FIGURE 3 is a front view of a remote control panel in a diagrammatic illustration;

FIGURE 4 is a front elevation view of one of the neoprene cable holders; and

FIGURE 5 is a side elevation of FIGURE 4.

Referring in detail to the drawings and first with particular reference to FIGURES 1, 2 and 3, there is shown any suitable landing surface R, such as a concrete runway, a deck surface or the like. Formed across the runway R is a trench 10 inwhich is installed the complete cable supporting assembly. This assembly comprises an elongated channel member or trough 12 of any suitable material, such as steel or galvanized metal and coterminus with the open top or mouth of the trough 12 are outwardly extending flanges 13 and 14.

The anges 13 and 14 at each top side of the trough lap over the runway surface R and are preferably seated or countersunk slightly within the bed of the runway surface, see FIGURES 1 and 2. Over each ange are elongated plates 15 and 16. The top of each plate is flush with the top of the runway and suitably bonded to each flange 13 and 14. For example, note thecorner weld W in FIGURE 2 of the drawings. These plates 15 and 16 also are relatively wider than `their respective contiguous flanges 13 and 14 and the coterminus inner edge 17 of plate 15 and coterminous iner edge 18 of plate 16 project over the bight 19 of the trough anges 13 and 14 and extend slightly toward each other over the open top of the trough or in the provision of oppositely facing spaced retainer means 21 and 22. v

The retainer snap lock means 21 and 22 are used to retain the vital parts of the cable supporting structure in place in the trough, and the projecting retainer or snap lock means Z1 and 22 at each free end surface 24 and 25 thereof preferably slope downwardly into the trough, for example, approximately at an angle of five degrees (5) from the normal horizontal part of the said flanges, see FIGURE 2. The sloping edge surface of each retainer means provides a cam action with respect to the outwardly diverging flanges 26 and 27 of the cradle means 28. For example, the cradle means 28 are made of suitable material or materials for'their purpose. As shown in the y snap-in 'flanges 26 and27 l Supporting'structures- YThusgas au aircraft toub dfv' shape,rwhereby the legs of the U-shap'edrcradle provide I 3,167,277. fg. 5

. drawings they arerof aluminurnfand of inverted UJ broad side portions, which when: properly positioned with the peak of the'inverted U-portionthereofv pressed iny form a 'continuous cable` rest or support areay 30, see

Y FIGURES 1v and V2. Y The cradlel means28 are made of a material which is Asul'c ie'ntly exible to haveY itsrflange'sA 25 and 27 snap into position under the retainer means"' 2 1 V and 22and are such as maybe pierced'orr disintegrated by the sharpv point andthe impact ofthe arrest hook 29 dependingrfrom an aircraft during an arrest operation.A

To'facilitate a snap lock installation; the'cradle legs/@1 i and 32 are Vformed with verticahslots.33and34 at the sides, so the 'legs may be flexed'together suiciently by the cam surfaces 24 vand 2 5gan`d permit the flanges 26 Yand 27 thereof'to be retracted toward'each other enough'to trio `on the runway R with varrest hook 29 down yand approaches lthe arrest cable support. in theelevated position of the cable C, thej arrest hook will vpierce and disintegratel one section only of the aligned cradle supports 28 of a section A,B, etc. yand `carry the arrest cable C forward with itV down the runway R. Theneoprene-cableholders 50 bevring resiliently ahdryieldably flexible open under thepull clfithefaircraftV hook 29 on. the arrestvcable C to 'release the same. f Before the arrest the pressure v'tank valve 41 is activated toy supply air orgasinto the line 40V andinto the inflatable fmembers 337-38. )Such inflation expands, the members land raises'the carrier'plate 3r6`whi cl 1V supports thearrest Y 'cable supports 28 and cableholder's 50, until the to'pr sursnap in intothe mouth of the trough `12'underV their respcctive Vretainer inea'nsrZl and 22. After insertioninto the mouth'of the trough'the anges 26and27 move outwardly under the-retainer means and are retained at the kface edges Vof the' carrier plate abuttherv retainer means 21 and 22, ateach side of themouth of thetroug'h 1 2.

The arrest cable,C,isthusraisedV above'the runWayR and 'remains'V raised until the valve 41 is tur-ned to bleed oifthe air Vor gasy from the'intla'tedmembers so thatthey trough'mouth in position for vertical-reciprocating more# Y of the cable, support. with the cradle support reciprocates up'ad 'down in lthe* manner of a piston when raised and lowered by iniiatable f i and detlatable means positioned between the plate or cable;

support'base 36 jandfthe trough bottom." V`For example, Y the-trough sidelof the plate or cable support'base '-3'6 may, Y be engaged With inflatable and deatablemernbers 3'7 Y and v38,* which may, Vfor,` example be elongatedV air tightY silicon rubber tubes sealedexceptfor' their connection to a pressure line 40 fromy a control valve 41 .of a pressure This valve serves to supply air' tank 42, see FIGURE 1. pressure into the members37 and 38 'or'torelease pres-v sure therefrom and may 'be manually'controlledin situ'y or from aremotecontrol point,^ such vas from a control Y matically -on'the control panelP; Y.

'Also,` the 'redand green indicator"` lightsr45 and 46 may 'libe in the'4 solenoid fvalve circuitfto show when the cable become deflated4 andthe support means 'retr'aets -into the trough 12fbelow the retainer means 21 and22 in a'flush "runway position. Y If the cable supporting structures vare to 'be'lraise'd `and lowered by Vremote j control froma vcontroltowen for Xamplefthe lvalve 41'fmay befsolenoid controlled and opened by the; operation of the switch 48 shown diagramsupport is upk or down. ,Y ,Y g f Y, Without fur-therV description it lis believed thatrthe ad- Vantages' of the present invention yover the priorfart is apparent and while V'only one embodiment of vthe same is illustrated, it'is to be .expressl/understood :that the vsame is not limited thereto as various changes may be made in the combination and arrangementv of the parts illustrated, `v as will now likely appearV to Yothers and those j skilled in' thev art.- For a Vdeiiniti'onofthe scope or limits tower lwhich would house a suitable remote' cn-trolfpancl P such as is illustrated diagrammatically-in FIGURE 3.-

Such panel may be provided withfindicator lights V 'and 46, a pressure gauge andV an up and ldown switch' means 48.

The arrest cable C is shown 4in thegures ofthe drawl ings and rests Ainthe concave pressed .in supportr cradle ,l

I of the invention, reference should be had to the appended Y 40 Y .f l i ,What is claimed sz` claims.

1. arresting cable supporti'cornprising. a Itrench 'in a landing surface, a trough with an open mouth -in said trench,f1eta inerh means yflush withr thejlanding surface i projectingover'the side edges of Vthe 'mouthofthe trough,

cinflatable and Vdeatable means yin the trough `along the areas 30 of each of theV aligned contiguous sect'ionsof cradle means 28, andconnects to any suitable type of ar resting lgear being'used; y f f and. etc., such for eXample' Yas'illustrated `in FIGUREZI.'

cable holderr-v Thisgcableholdenmay befa'ny form 'of clip, clamp Vofthe likeandin thefpreferred'form illustrated' f Y' 5o. The cable cradle supports 28 aresnap tted'intofthe mouth of the trough 12 incontiguous aligned groups A, B

isv aV neoprene block lformed .with 'as roundfopenin'g 51 -and ,Y

aslot 52 at the top portion SS-'ltoprovide J'aWs54 and :5 5 l' to snap t around' a'section'of-the arrest cable C.'4 The l base 56 of the cable holderljisbifu'rcated'byralslotvv57.'and has diverging angle bracket rnembers 5,8"a`r1dy '59; securedto each bifurcated, part'offthe 'base 56jby "means such Vas rivets 60.- fW-hen the angle brackets are riveted:inxplatie'Y they/serve asrlatchiniretainers and coactwith-canigsurf faces 24' and 25'ofthe trough,

in" the same fr nanner as the Operatinfr i The i foregoing. descriptionjfmakesfthe use andloper'a tional. performance of the presentnovel arrest cable su arablevele'ments insteadlof deflect'ing'athe assembled-fen Y Y, P- *70, portjgenerallyclear and the-'basicnoveltyfandprinciple 1 vOt this Supportis' to Yallows the. point Ofthe 'arrest heels. -29 to'penetrate, thecradlersupports 285las` individual'f's length thereof, aavalve connected lt`o a source of tluid pressure, anjelognated carrier plate lhaving an upper'side andan underside inthe. trough below said flush landing,-

surface retainer means, said v'inflatable' and'deatable means being between the bottoni of the'v troughand the underside oft-said plate,-arresting`cabl e ycradle'sections contiguous vwiththe upper sideof said plate v rnovableby said Dividing Veach ofthe cable cradle support VgroupsV isV ja Inflatable anddeatable means above and belowthe land- YFV Y withsaid Vcradle sections.r f

ing surfacegandY cable holdingrrneans intermittently aligned whereinsaid,retainerzrneansgat the point of .projection of the sides of thetro'ughare slantedfdownwardly and where each of'said kcradle sectionsthave flange'rneans at .the base '1 fthere'ofengagedunder thesaid retainer'means. Y

v3.1 An arrestingcable'.'supportfas described in claimtv l, wherein' saidcradle'kfsections are;V individually separable .by an'aircrafpcable engaging arrestfhook without disi' tll'rbinsfsaidolhsrsectionsr` f v 4. An arrestingfcable Asupportfas, described infcla,im 1, whereinlsaid'cradlesections .areof destructable material je 'andare replaceableby snapV actionV into saidtrough. Y i

v f5.' Anvarresti ng v cable supportgcom'prising a trench'in 'alanding surface, a troughv an `open mouth insaidl trench', retainer'-frneans flush k Withfthei landing surface projectingover: thefsideredgeslV of "theV` mouth o ffthe trough,

inllatable;andvl'deatable means inthe troughnalongfthe 4)length thereof,-'a valve connected to a4 source of ftluidr pres.

s @fanielongated c arrierplate.ih avi'nganuppensideand E an underside in the trough below said flush landing surface retainer means, said inflatable and deatable means being between the bottom of the trough and the underside of said plate, arresting cable cradle sections on the upper side of said plate, and a bifurcated neoprene cable holding means with diverging means secured to each side of the base thereof, said diverging means being locked below said retainer means in the said trough.

6. An arresting cable support comprising an elongated trough, said trough having an open mouth with side flanges, said flanges extending coterminus therewith and being flush with a runway surface, inflatable rubber tube means on the bottom of the trough, means for pressurizing said tube to inflate the same, a plate in said trough above the tube, arresting cable support means movably positioned above said plate, said support means having a concave top portion, side walls and a flexible bottom portion, said bottom portion being retained in said trough by the side flanges thereof, and yieldably resilient cable holders having a cable embracing top in alignment with said concave top portion of the cable support means.

7. A cross cable support, means for raising and permitting retraction of the said support above and below a runway, said support comprising a plurality of sections of cable cradle members with side walls in aligned relation across a runway, said sections being individually detachable from their aligned relation to each other by the impact of an arrest hook of an aircraft with a side wall of one of said cradle members simultaneously with each cable hooking operation.

8. A cross cable support as described in claim 7, wherein each of said individually detachable cradle members are destructable by the impact of the arrest hook with a side wall thereof.

9. A cross cable support as described in claim 7, wherein each of said cradle members are inverted U-shaped aluminum bodies.

10. An arresting cable support comprising a trench in a landing surface, a trough with an open mouth in said trench, retainer means flush with the landing surface projecting over the side edges of the mouth of the trough, inflatable and deflatable means in the trough along the length thereof, a valve connected to a source of fluid pressure, an elongated carrier plate having an upper side and an underside in the trough below said flush landing surface retainer means, said inflatable and deflatable means being between the bottom of the trough and the underside of said plate, and arresting cable holding means contiguous with the upper side of said plate movable by said inflatable and deilatable means above and below the landing surface.

ll. An arresting cable support comprising a trench in a landing surface, a trough with an open mouth in said trench, retainer means ush with the landing surface projecting over the side edges of the mouth of the trough, inflatable and deflatable means in the trough along the length thereof, a valve connected to a source of fluid pressure, an elongated carrier plate having an upper side and an underside in the trough below said flush landing surface retainer means, said inflatable and deflatable means being between the bottom of the trough and the underside of said platt, and a bifurcated neoprene cable holding means with diverging means secured to each side of the base thereof, said diverging means being locked below said retainer means in the said trough.

12. An arresting cable support comprising an elongated trough, said trough having an open mouth flush with a landing surface in which the trough is mounted, inflatable and deflatable means adjacent the bottom of tl e trough, means for inflation and deflation of said means, plate means in said trough above said inflatable and defiatable means, retainer means along each longitudinal edge of the trough for said plate means, and spaced yieldably resilient cable holders carried by said plate means, said holders each having a cable embracing top.

i3. An arresting cable support comprising an elongated trough, said trough having an open mouth flush with a landing surface in which the trough is mounted, inflatable and deatable collapsible means adjacent the bottom of the trough, and means including cable supports on said inflatable and deilatable means releasably supporting said cable above said landing surface when said collapsible means is inflated.

Colley Oct. 17, 1950 Cotton et al Jan. l5, i957 

1. AN ARRESTING CABLE SUPPORT COMPRISING A TRENCH IN A LANDING SURFACE, A TROUGH WITH AN OPEN MOUTH IN SAID TRENCH, RETAINER MEANS FLUSH WITH THE LANDING SURFACE PROJECTING OVER THE SIDE EDGES OF THE MOUTH OF THE TROUGH, INFLATABLE AND DEFLATABLE MEANS IN THE TROUGH ALONG THE LENGTH THEREOF, A VALVE CONNECTED TO A SOURCE OF FLUID PRESSURE, AN ELONGATED CARRIER PLATE HAVING AN UPPER SIDE AND AN UNDERSIDE IN THE TROUGH BELOW SAID FLUID LANDING SURFACE RETAINER MEANS, SAID INFLATABLE AND DEFLATABLE 